Over 150 seats still vacant for poor students in city school

With admissions now closed in city private schools, there are still over 150 seats lying vacant for students from economically weaker section (EWS) which the schools are compelled to fill under the RTE Act.

With admissions now closed in city private schools, there are still over 150 seats lying vacant for students from economically weaker section (EWS) which the schools are compelled to fill under the RTE Act.

As per the latest information made available about these seats, in the 57 private schools out of total 800 seats for EWS category, only 644 have been filled so far.

A few schools are yet to submit their final report to the department and thus the number of vacant seats is expected to increase further.

According to the list from the education department, a large number of vacant seats are available with schools including St Soldier International School (16), Bal Niketan Model Senior Secondary School (22), St Stephen's School (17), Shishu Niketan Model School (11), Play Way Model School (10) and Tender Heart School.

Schools, in their replies submitted to the UT education department, have given reasons behind the vacant seats under EWS category.

While St Soldier International School has said that as its general seats are still vacant, the school has not been able to fill the EWS seats either. Shishu Niketan Model School, along with many other private schools has claimed that the EWS students did not approach the school for admissions. Maharishi Dayanand Adarsh Vidyalaya, in its reply said that due to long distance, students refused to get admission in the school.

According to the officials, many schools including St Stephen's School have appealed to the department to not to send any further applications for the EWS category as the admission process has come to an end. Headmaster Louis Lopez of St Stephen's School in its letter to the district education officer, written on April 24 said that other students could get affected due to late admissions and thus all those who seek admission should not approach the school after the admission process has concluded.

On the condition of anonymity, an official claimed that schools cannot deny admission to the EWS students in case the school does not get to fill its general seats. "All these plea of the schools are not justified and thus they have to entertain the EWS admissions in case of vacancies".

According to the sources, officials from various private schools have been asked to review the data provided by them to the department regarding the availability of seats under EWS as they are suspecting the schools of submitting wrong statistics with the department.

Vacancies in city schools

School Total number of seats reserved under RTE Act Vacant seats St Soldier International School 25 16Bal Niketan Model Senior Secondary School 22 22St Stephen's School 39 17Shishu Niketan Model School 13 11Tender Heart School 15 13Aanchal International 17 7